Jim Henry, interim head of the state Department of Children's Services, speaks to the media after a Senate panel hearing.

importantly, for those whose welfare depends on it - there is reason for some optimism.

Much of that optimism is buoyed by the integrity and administrative skills possessed by interim Commissioner Jim Henry.

Those who are relatively new to Tennessee might know Henry primarily as the state commissioner for the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. For 13 years before that, Henry was president and CEO of Omni Visions Inc., an organization serving families with adults and children who have developmental disabilities. Before that, Henry was a longtime state representative, including serving six years as minority leader, and was mayor of Kingston, Tenn.

All of this is to establish the fact that Commissioner Henry understands government, whether it's policymaking or the work of agencies that carry out those policies. And, as obvious as it seems that whoever heads up a department such as DCS should possess that understanding, that is precisely what has been absent for some years.

In less than a week on the job, Commissioner Henry already has testified before a panel of state senators, has planned meetings with DCS staff and private contractors, and has scheduled discussions around the state with children's agencies. All of these actions represent a departure from the practices of Henry's immediate predecessor.

Still, Commissioner Henry faces a big job, because DCS has deficiencies on several levels:

? At the front lines of child protection, the quality of the DCS casework is wildly inconsistent. Tennessean reporters have found that, in child deaths and near-deaths, investigations by DCS have overlooked medical problems and harmful conditions in the home where the child resided. In some cases, documentation of problems was added after the fact, perhaps weeks later.

? At the central office - if it can be called that - there is no sense that DCS higher-ups know what is happening in the field. Certainly, the flaws in the TFACS computer system, which was installed before Commissioner Kate O'Day arrived, contribute to this, but technological failings necessarily take a back seat to those of humans.

The fact that there still is not a centralized record at DCS of the 200-plus deaths and near-deaths that have occurred over the past three years can only be attributed to willful neglect.

? Agencies such as DCS need independent oversight, too, because of their impact on families and the capacity for human error. But review procedures such as Second Look, and agency reporting to legislators about child deaths in their districts, lapsed under O'Day.

DCS needs the help of secondary agencies, and it needs "sunlight." Even though it deals with details of private lives, its role is to serve the public good - much as law enforcement and our court system, which also cannot operate in complete secrecy. So, we call upon Commissioner Henry to establish clear disclosure guidelines for the Department of Children's Services going forward.

As Commissioner Henry takes the helm, there is a real potential for DCS to put the difficulties of the past 16 years behind it and to become the protector of young people that always was intended.

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Warming light of leadership finally lies in store for DCS

After some dark days for the Tennessee Department of Children's Services and, more importantly, for those whose welfare depends on it ? there is reason for some optimism. Much of that optimism is